Title

Authors

Document Type

Journal Article

Publisher

Taylor and Francis

School

School of Education

RAS ID

19384

Comments

This article was originally published as: O'Rourke, J. (2015). Inclusive schooling: If it's so good - Why is it so hard to sell? In International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19(5), 530-546. Original article available here.

Abstract

What does the take-up of new technology have in common with the adoption of inclusive pedagogies to support students with additional needs in regular classrooms? Both are profound changes in the way we do things. Both are in response to changes in society. Both are championed by true believers and villainised by those more resistant to change. In this paper I consider why inclusive education has been so difficult to sell within schools, despite empirical evidence that is highly supportive of this practice. I review meta-analyses on the academic outcomes of students with disability in inclusive and segregated environments and discuss why the apparent benefits of this approach are not universally appreciated by Australian classroom teachers. I then compare the adoption of inclusive education with the uptake of innovative technology to develop an appreciation of what may be required for teachers to gain an understanding and commitment towards inclusive education.